In recent years, a magnetic random access memory (MRAM) having a potential to replace a conventional dynamic random access memory (DRAM) has been drawing attention. As described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,734,605, for example, a conventional MRAM adopts a recording method by reversing a magnetization of one end of a tunnel magnetoresistive effect (TMR) element by use of a synthetic magnetic field created by a current flowing through two metal lines provided in mutually orthogonal directions above and below the TMR element. Here, the tunnel magnetoresistive effect (TMR) element has a multilayer structure of a magnetic film/a nonmagnetic insulating film/a magnetic film. However, even in the MRAM, there is pointed out a problem that the magnitude of the magnetic field required for the magnetization reversal is increased when the size of the TMR element is reduced in order to achieve higher capacity, so that it is necessary to feed a large amount of the current through the metal lines which may incur an increase in power consumption and lead to destruction of the lines eventually.
As a method of achieving magnetization reversal without using the magnetic field, it has been theoretically explained that the magnetization reversal is possible only by feeding a current in a certain amount or larger to a giant magnetoresistive effect (GMR) film or the tunnel magnetoresistive effect (TMR) film as used in a magnetic reproducing head as described in Journal of Magnetism and Magnetic Materials, 159, L1-6 (1996), for example. Thereafter, there has been reported in Physical Review Letters, Vol. 84, No. 14, pp. 2149-2152 (2000), for example, an experiment example of a recording method including: forming pillars having a diameter of 130 nm and containing a Co/Cu/Co multilayer film (a GMR film) between two Cu electrodes; feeding a current through the pillars; and reversing a magnetization of a Co layer by using spin torque given from spin of the flowing current to the magnetization of the Co layer. Furthermore, in recent years, spin torque magnetization reversal using nanopillars using a TMR film has been proven as described in Applied Physics Letters, Vol. 84, pp. 2118-2120 (2004), for example. Particularly, the spin torque magnetization reversal using the TMR film is drawing a lot of attention because it is possible to obtain an output equal to or above that from a conventional MRAM.
FIGS. 1(a) and 1(b) show schematic diagrams of the above-described spin torque magnetization reversal. In FIGS. 1(a) and 1(b), a magnetoresistive effect element and a transistor 6 under conduction control by a gate electrode 5 are connected to a bit line 1. Here, the magnetoresistive effect element includes a first ferromagnetic layer (a recording layer) 2 having a variable magnetization direction, an intermediate layer 3, and a second ferromagnetic layer (a fixed layer) 4 having a fixed magnetization direction. Meanwhile, another terminal of the transistor is connected to a source line 7. As shown in FIG. 1(a), a current 8 is caused to flow from the bit line 1 to the source line 7 for changing the magnetizations between the fixed layer 4 and the recording layer 2 from an antiparallel (high-resistance) state to a parallel (low-resistance) state. At this time, electrons 9 flow from the source line 7 to the bit line 1. On the other hand, as shown in FIG. 1(b), the current 8 may be caused to flow in the direction from the source line 7 to the bit line 1 for changing the magnetizations between the fixed layer 4 and the free layer 2 from the parallel (low-resistance) state to the antiparallel (high-resistance) state. At this time, the electrons 9 flow in the direction from the bit line 1 to the source line 7.
Then, as described in Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2005-294376, for example, there has been proposed a structure called a laminated ferrimagnetic structure in which the recording layer 2 is formed of two ferromagnetic layers 21 and 23 sandwiching a nonmagnetic layer 22 therebetween and orientations of magnetizations of the ferromagnetic layers 21 and 23 are arranged in mutually opposite directions, thereby attaining stabilization against a magnetic field that breaks in from outside.    Patent Document 1: U.S. Pat. No. 5,734,605    Patent Document 2: Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2005-294376    Non-Patent Document 1: Journal of Magnetism and Magnetic Materials, 159, L1-6 (1996)    Non-Patent Document 2: Physical Review Letters, Vol. 84, No. 14, pp. 2149-2152 (2000)    Non-Patent Document 3: Applied Physics Letters, Vol. 84, pp. 2118-2120 (2004)